"Bastard! You'll regret this!" Gu Yang glared at Xiao Ye's retreating figure, his face twisted with fury.
Exiting Wanqi Pavilion, Xiao Ye scanned the streets before ducking into the Wu Jian Inn. He couldn't risk parading the Flame Blade in public.
Two dozen taels later, he secured a room. Wutang City sure drains the purse, he muttered, noting the remaining 100 taels. First secure the sheath, then hunt for the Vein-Purifying Pool.
Retrieving the Flame Blade, he traced its edge. How to awaken its martial intent? Memories of the cave flashbacks surged—how he'd yanked the blade from lava by channeling Qi.
Perhaps… it requires true Qi to unleash its essence?
He closed his eyes, funneling Qi into the blade.
Boom!
His mind erupted into a storm of fiery blades, a waterfall of flame roaring toward him. Cold sweat dripped as he navigated the illusion, sensing an oppressive aura—a martial intent far beyond his ken.
When the vision faded, he collapsed, drained. My entire Qi reserve… gone? Even with the Tianluo Skill's twelve meridians, he'd exhausted himself.
To grasp this blade's power, I need to advance. He gritted his teeth. The Vein-Purifying Pool…
The Prodigy's Arrival
At the inn's dining hall, murmurs caught Xiao Ye's ear.
"Did you hear? The Vein-Purifying Pool opens soon. A single dip could boost a martial artist by two realms!"
"Only the Gu, Zhang, and Su clans hold slots. Mortals need not apply."
Xiao Ye's interest spiked. Gu Clan… the same family as that punk Gu Yang?
"Gu Chen, the prodigy, broke through to Posterior Heaven Realm, sixth stage at sixteen! Some say he'll dominate the Chongyang Sect trials!"
Sixteen? Xiao Ye's pulse quickened. A prodigy… but still human.
He finished his meal, wrapped the Flame Blade in cloth, and headed to Wanqi Pavilion. Meanwhile, in a grand estate:
"Father…" A girl in flowing robes entered a study. Her father, a stern man in brocade robes, sighed.
"Ling'er, the Gu Clan threatens to seize our Vein-Purifying Pool slot unless you marry their wastrel son. I'm sorry."
"No, Father. Sacrifices for the clan are honorable." Her voice wavered.
"But what if…" She hesitated, then proposed, "What if we find someone to withstand three strikes from Gu Chen?"
Her father's eyes lit up. "Ling'er, you're brilliant! If such a youth exists, the Gu's can't refuse!"
Showdown at the Pavilion
Returning to the inn, Xiao Ye found the sheathed Flame Blade waiting. Perfect.
As he stepped outside, a cold laugh cut through the air.
"Brother, that's the punk who beat up Yang'er!" Gu Yang pointed at Xiao Ye.
The newcomer, a black-robed youth with icy eyes, stepped forward. "You dare strike Gu Chen? Kneel and beg for mercy."
Xiao Ye smirked. Let's see what the 'number one prodigy' has.
Gu Chen's fist erupted with Qi.
Boom!
Xiao Ye sidestepped, retaliating with a Tiger Fist. The impact sent Gu Chen stumbling.
"You… you're only Posterior Heaven Realm, fifth stage!" Gu Chen snarled.
"And you're a pampered fool," Xiao Ye retorted, his blade humming. "Ready to lose that arm?"
Before the fight escalated, a shout echoed: "Stop!"